| |
La Virgen de los Reyes, Santo, The Virgin of the Kings, Puerto Rican woodcarving, 2003
Carlos Santiago Arroyo (b. 1947)
Amherst, Massachusetts
Tropical cedar, gesso, acrylic
10 3/4 x 5 x 4 7/8 in.
Private Collection
Photography by Jason Dowdle
|
|
|
Two of the most rooted devotions of Puerto Rico - those of the Virgin Mary and of the Three Kings - converge in this carving. It depicts saints and miracles valued by Puerto Ricans that are not officially recognized - and sometimes explicitly shunned - by the Catholic Church. The carver of this santo relates, "This is one of the most popular carvings in homes throughout the island, although it would not be found in chapels as the official church does not recognize this icon; it is a creation of the popular religious culture of the country." The smaller proportion of the Three Kings affirms the Virgin's importance in Puerto Rican culture.
|
 |
|
